The TMP-Marian Monarch football team rallied from down four in the second half to beat the Ellis Railroaders 19-16 Friday at Ellis.
TMP Coach Jay Harris
Game Highlights
After failing to score in week one TMP wasted no time scoring on the opening possession of the game to take a 6-0 lead. Kade Harris scored his first career rushing touchdown from six yards out with 8:42 left in the first quarter. TMP failed to convert the point after touchdown and lead 6-0.
TMP was forced to punt on the next three drives and that allowed Ellis to get right back in the game. After a one-yard punt Ellis took over at the TMP 40 yard line and Quarterback Tegan Cain led the Railers on a four-play 40 yard touchdown drive that he capped off with an 11 yard touchdown run. He also kicked the extra point to put Ellis up 7-6.
Neither offense was really able to keep drives alive in the second quarter with the Monarchs forcing Cain to throw a pair of picks in the quarter.
The Monarchs did get on the board midway through second , when Bryce Seib scored his first of two rushing touchdowns, this one from one yard out to put TMP up 12-7 after Ellis blocked the PAT attempt.
Following a TMP fumble on a quarterback sack, Cain connected with Zachery Eck on a deflected pass from 37 yards out to give Ellis a 14-12 lead, following the PAT, with just over seven minutes left in the third quarter.
After a missed field goal and an Ellis punt the Monarchs offense took possession on their own 20 yard line. But went backwards and an Ellis sack pinned TMP up against the goal line. Brian Carbajal was able to get free and block Jace Wentling’s punt in the end zone. Wentling deflected it out of the end zone for a safety giving Ellis a 16-12 lead with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter the Monarchs forced Ellis into a turnover on downs and a pair of punts, one of them was blocked by Ryan Richmeier.
The Monarchs were down four with 2:46 left and would put together a five-play, 53-yard drive capped off by a three-yard touchdown run by Seib with a successful PAT by Wentling putting the Monarchs up 19-16 with 1:56 to play.
On that drive freshman Kade Harris caught a 23 yard pass and ripped off a 31 yard run before a penalty by Ellis set up the Seib touchdown.
Ellis got it back with 1:51 to play but the Monarchs forced a turnover on downs with Ryan Richmeier coming away with a sack on third down and Seib deflected a pass on fourth down to seal the win for TMP.
The Monarchs Kade Harris rushed for 119 yards on 17 carries.
Ellis’ Tegan Cain was 13-of-25 passing for 184 yards one touchdown and two interceptions.
TMP improves to 1-1 ahead of a homecoming matchup with Plainville next Friday. Ellis is 0-2 and will travel to Ellinwood.